The Heleus Purge
by The Unpredictable Muse
Summary: The Turian equivalent of Cerberus has one goal - to eliminate humans from the Heleus Cluster. They will stop at nothing to accomplish it. * Features characters from From The Shadows* This story is up for adoption. If anyone wants to take over and claim it as theirs, please PM me. Just give me due credit where its due. DISCONTINUED until further inspiration strikes.
1. Chapter 1

**A Month After Hyperion is Officially founded as the First City on Meridian**

 **Meet me at Tartarus.**

Galerius Sisenna checked his messages and cleared it out. From the moment he woke from cryo and learned of the status of Ark Natanus, he wanted answers. Director Tann provided the bare minimum, and Pathfinder Ryder offered illuminating footage about the Kett and the Remnant. The only comfort he derived from being awake in the hostile cluster was that Avitus Rix accepted the role of Pathfinder and now lead the monumental effort of tracking down every colonist that had been ejected during the Ark's long journey.

Everyone would be found and brought home. Avitus promised all of them the closure. It wasn't until Galerius learned that Ann Mulder traveled from the Milky Way to Heleus Cluster that he felt more at ease with the new surroundings. He heard of her success in the Milky Way because they were of the same profession at one time. Here, her efforts controlled the chaos more than it did to suppress piracy. When he heard of her union to Tiran Kandros, it amused him that she would choose someone intimately tasked with ensuring that the humans did not try to extinguish all other life.

He trekked his way through Kadara Port. The place smelled like Omega, except more sulphuric. The fresh air actually worsened the smell, spreading it further than the localized stench of Omega's areas. As a proud turian, he wanted to prove his people honorable and proud. He wanted to distinguish the Turian future from the futures of other races. Paullus Milonius wanted to kill all the races, Galerius just wanted to ensure the humans didn't overstep their boundaries. He teamed up with Milonius as a short term solution, with the intention of eventually making contact with Ann Mulder-Kandros to discuss the suppression of growing piracy in the Heleus Cluster.

He took the lift down the mountain side to the Kadara slums, armored up and able to kill if necessary. Tartarus seemed to be the center of life in the slums, where everyone lived in the same miserable existence as they did on Omega. It amazed him that slavery didn't exist on Kadara yet. He strolled through the entrance to the seedy bar, expecting to find familiar faces. No one he recognized from the Milky Way patronized the bar.

A smooth voice addressed him. " What does a Turian want with Ann Kandros?"

He turned toward the male human. This human had darker skin, not quite Caucasian and not quite Black. " Nothing more than to send a message,"

Vidal glanced over the Turian. " Which is?"

" Paullus Milonius,"

Reyes Vidal. Also known as a third rate smuggler that now controlled Kadara Port. His position as logistics management for the Heleus Military placed him in a more honorable position than the one he often boasted of. " That's a name," Sloane Kelly, leader of the Outlaws, shifted her base of operations from the Port to the Badlands by a choice that baffled nearly everyone, including her own followers.

" I know," Galerius nodded to the bartender through the bars that blocked the bar from being accessed. " Paullus Milonius is forming a force, to eliminate humans. Like the Roekaar, except more determined. He's not going to be stopped until he's dead. He's not the only one, either,"

Vidal motioned for him to follow him to his private room that he rented out. Within seconds of the door being closed, Galerius found himself combatting a desire to back away from this known smuggler. " Is he close to anything substantial?" He opened a bottle of the Kadara brewed wine and poured himself a glass.

" No, not yet. There's a scientists among them that is helping him bioengineer a disease that can infect and destroy human's immune systems." He didn't understand more than that as Felann Alu refused to explain it in layman terms. Flavius Burrus explained it as simply as he could without delving into the specifics. " They're testing it on humans they're kidnapping,"

Vidal's face scrunched up in anger. " How many people?"

Accessing his omni-tool, Galerius revealed the video of a human suffering intense pain after receiving an injection. " So far, four people. Two died. Another is held for more injections, the fourth, this person, responded the most strongly to the injection. That only means one thing,"

They both fell into silence as Galerius put together a list of names and transferred it to Vidal. " I didn't give this to you. We never met."

" How do you know Mulder?" Vidal inquired lightly. Galerius suspected that he often used that charm to convince people to perceive his as a less dangerous. Having seen thin wisps of humans who claimed to be humanitarians in public and private own slaves; knowing Batarians who did not know how to exist without slavery; combating pirates who attacked struggling colonies in the name of credits – he knew evil did not need to look evil. Its motivations took on many forms due to the societal influences that assailed everyone in ways that even they didn't realize.

This man likely could kill him if he chose. " Honor among comrades,"

" You are not one of her contacts," Vidal pointed out directly.

" I know," Galerius moved for the door. No doubt Vidal would pass along this information to Ann Kandros. Galerius wanted that. He wanted the noble crusader to reach beyond her current priorities to inject her noble rage into a more important task – stopping the destruction of her own race. He almost made it out of Tartarus when his omni-tool pinged.

 **Meet me at the vendor. We need to go to Badlands to talk to Sloane Kelly. Caron Selis**

 **On my way. Having a drink at Sisenna**

 **Skip the drink. Caron Selis**

 **Is it really that important that I can't take twenty minutes to enjoy a simple drink? Galerius Sisenna**

 **Yes. Caron Selis**

 **I'm working Vidal for information. Galerius Sisenna**

 **Work him later. Caron Selis**

Galerius shook his head as he approached the bartender. He slipped a credit chit across the bar top. " Credit that toward Vidal, tell him that he owes a turian a favor," He turned on his heel and left the bar. He realized how close he was to the check point between Kadara Port/slums and the Badlands.

 **Meet me in the slums. I'm closer to the Badlands. Galerius Sisenna**

He stared down the building and partial wall that separated the most hospitable area of Kadara from the rest of Kadara. Sloane Kelly freed Kadara Port of the Kett, but she didn't improve its security beyond the necessary requirements. As the lift descended down the rock face, Galerius spotted the former STG operative accompanied by another of their group, a Salarian with a hatred for Krogans so intense that it even gave their fearless leader pause.

Composing himself, the turian checked his armor one last time and then his weaponry. Sloane Kelly was a bomb. She could go off given the right incentive, and when she did go off, it would do more damage than good to the great cause of survival. While her marks may have been honorable in the Alliance, the reports of her issue with authority figures made her someone that he did not want associate with. First she turns on the Nexus, freed Kadara, and then accepted a trade alliance with the Nexus. Then she just ups and hands the port over to her sworn enemy to retreat to the Badlands. Why? What did she gain by giving up control of one of the best locations on Kadara?

Caron Selis lead the way, clearly upset with Galerius for not cooperating with his plans. Galerius didn't care what the demented salarian's plans were. From the moment he joined the group, Caron refused to acknowledge his past expertise with any respect. Pirate hunting, as the operative put it, barely counted as a civil service. Most of the people that served with Galerius disagreed, as many put their lives into the work and often every credit they earned.

The Turian government didn't see it as a worthwhile service given that the Batarians mostly targeted humans, and the humans didn't actually target the turians except to spite them. The Asari contributed to the cause due to their difficult relations with the Batarians, and it turned into a leisurely hobby for the young ones or a proper exit for the less than healthy.

" Are you ready to enter the Badlands?" Caron demanded, his voice taking a painful whine to a whole meaning. " Or do you need to polish your armor even more?"

The bony shell that kept his facial expressions barely discernible kept his irritation hidden even more. " I like my armor well kept. Is that a problem?" He raised his voice enough to make it clear he didn't appreciate the slight.

" It's a problem when I need to know if you're equipped to enter a hostile area filled with hostile forces,"

" That's why you wanted me at the vendor?" He shook his head as the salarian pressed onward. " I'm not someone you have to babysit-"

" Who said anything about babysitting? If you can't keep up, you're going to be left behind,"

" Try it and we'll see who ends up left behind," Galerius readied his shotgun as they moved through the building and entered the Badlands. With the port and slums behind them, they progressed toward the nearest Daar. While most Angara considered Kadara lawless, those that did not established themselves in daars dotting the mountainous planet. Ditaen supported a growing outpost that allowed the Initiative access to lawlessness and weary Angara. The outlaws and collective still patrolled the Badlands, harassing travelers and stirring up trouble at the orders of their leaders, Kelly and Vidal. The majority of humans settled on Eos and Kadara while the Krogan cast out of New Tuchanka on Elaaden decided to relocate to Voeld. Salarians and Turians favored Eos and Elaaden.

A large transport truck waited for them. Outlaw markings on the truck matched the black tattoo on his face. He settled in the back with Caron Selis and Caewan Raelorn. Caewan carried his sniper rifle with more reverence than Galerius treated his armor. The racist bastard known as Caron Selis maintained eye contact with Galerius the entire ride through the steep hills toward the Outlaws base of operations a series of buildings in Spirit's Ledge. When the vehicle pulled to a stop in the center, Caron Selis nodded to Galerius. Galerius nodded back.

Whatever happened, they'd have to walk away from this with something more than gleaned information.


	2. Chapter 2

**We don't need Paullus. – Quintus Paenula**

 **What do you mean we don't need him? He created this task force. – Flavius Burrus**

 **He didn't create it. It existed before he traveled to Andromeda. – Quintus Paenula**

 **Then he brought all the pieces together. We need him like we need Galerius. – Flavius Burrus**

 **Galerius is a sympathizer. We should remove him before he changes allegiances. – Quintus Paenula**

 **When that time comes, we'll take care of it. – Flavius Burrus**

" Have you heard from Caron yet?" Flavius asked of his partner, Quintus. Both turians were in charge of the base while everyone else was in the field. Paullus Milonius took Felann with him to pursue a Roekaar connection that would prove advantageous for the employment of their secret weapon. While the Roekaar hated all aliens, the Roekaar also were able to be reasoned with – as long as they were given something valuable in exchange.

Paullus offered up the best peace offering he could find – Ann Kandros. The woman blocked the Roekaar more often than she did the Kett, and as Kandros's wife, Tiran Kandros's defection of the mission assigned to him by the hierarchy made her the perfect target. They pursued Sloane Kelly for the unaccounted for resources she could provide, knowing full well the instability of her actions and character. They only intended to use Sloane Kelly as long as they needed her to launch a large scale attack against Eos.

No human would willingly help kill off their entire race, and those that were useful were deceived of the motives of their employer. Without the key components of their plan assembled, a fully functioning disease that targeted the immune system lacked a delivery system.

" No. Caewan is with him in case Galerius turns traitor," Quintus called from the back. " They're dealing with Sloane. Anything's possible."

" If we're so concerned about Galerius's intentions, why is he still among us?" Flavius never understood why Paullus recruited the former pirate hunter. Paullus said they needed the skillset and then neglected to share what that skillset was. When the former pirate hunter joined them, he bought nothing new to the group that wasn't already available to them. As far as Quintus was concerned, Galerius was just muscle. Felann called him an inquisitive idiot who couldn't remember what day of the week it was without the omni-tool reminding him. While Flavius didn't trust the pirate hunter, he didn't think the man slow-witted or lacking of intelligence. His interest in the weaponized disease raised red flags not even he could pass off as idle curiosity.

Quintus emerged with crates that held their medi-gel supply. He started taking inventory of everything on a datapad. Part of Quintus's job was to run positive PR for their task force while ensuring that the task force had all the supplies it needed to accomplish its mission. His role went hand in hand with Burrus's role – bringing science to the fight. Burrus and Felann worked hand in hand to provide specialized weapons for the task force. Paullus spearheaded them after the other survivors of Ark Natanus refused to take up the mission assigned to them. They recruited a few salarians that feared the humans would take advantage of their unhindered arrival and try to have the lead role on the interracial council. Ark Hyperion being crashed onto Meridian was a calculated move, in their eyes, regardless of the Archon's role in it.

Helping the gray faced turian, Flavius noted his red tattoo in the shape of a spear head. " Aephus colony?"

" Born and raised. Gellix?" Quintus countered.

" Raised. I was born on Edessan, and when my father was promoted in C-Sec, my mother moved us to Gellix for a better future,"

" Isn't there a female on the Nexus that also calls Aephus home?" Flavius remembered the teenaged female to be no older than 20 years of age. Her sense of duty and responsibility impressed him, and her spirit and determination to make the Heleus Cluster a better home for everyone drew his admiration.

Quintus lifted his head quickly. " Sidera Nyx,"

" Isn't her sister, the one that chose to call Bostra her real home, on the Pathfinder's team?" Now that he recalled it, Vetra Nyx romantically involved herself with Scott Ryder. " How do you know her name?"

Quintus said nothing and went back to his datapad.

Suspecting that Quintus fancied the female, Flavius said nothing. They continued their inventory in silence. After inventory, the pair checked their emails at the email terminals and then retreated to their personal areas. Both vid-called their respective allies in a bid for more information on their enemies – that included the Nexus.

At noon, Quintus checked on their prisoner – one of Ann Kandros's people. They found Pipona Tortik on the run from the Kett and offered her sanctuary. Paullus gave her drugged food and imprisoned her ever since. The female salarian refused to cooperate, and until she did, she remained their prisoner. Paullus Milonius would occasionally interrogate her, leaving her injured with time to heal before interrogating her again. Talk of her future had yet to surface among the group, a talk that everyone but Paullus and Felann wanted avoid.

Galerius Sisenna stated that Pipona was not a threat to them, and furthermore, she was Salarian. Quintus and Flavius agreed with their doubtful ally on this, while Caron and Caewan both refused to let another salarian die. Her connection to Ann Kandros simply burdened their choice to let her live. Paullus considered anyone that worked alongside humans peacefully as the enemy, and the enemy needed eliminated. No Hastatim for them. Paullus Milonius, even by Turian standards, was an extreme terrorist. His ideals were the only thing that kept him from turning on the other races like he targeted the humans.

Banging on the bars that separated the cell from the rest of the base, Quintus slid a tray of rehydrated food – a salarian favorite he could not pronounce though he tried – through the slot that allowed for passage of items of certain size and shape. The blue skinned female glowered at him from her position on the floor. She currently sat on the cot provided for her, otherwise the only object in the room was a toilet and shower squeezed in the corner. Before this was a cell, it was a quick showering area before entering the rest of the rooms. Paullus fitted the open area with a door and installed the bars to make it a cell long before they started taking prisoners.

He started to walk away when her voice pulled him back. " You walk a dangerous line, Turian. He will betray you, and when he does, you will not see it,"

" We'll be ready if he ever does," Quintus answered her, staying out of sight.

Silence stretched between them and he started to walk away again.

" You best hope that when that day comes he doesn't turn on the Salarians like he did the humans. We will wipe your race out,"

Considering what the salarians created to stunt the birth rates of the krogans, Quintus didn't doubt her warning for a moment. He rejoined Flavius in the armory area partially secluded by a wall of crates. " Still bitter as ever,"

" She should be," Flavius stopped polishing the scope eye piece. " She shouldn't even be in that cell. Torturing her for more information won't help. She'll more likely provide false information than accurate information,"

" Paullus would double check the information first," Quintus grabbed his pistols and started to take them apart and laid them out on a long table. He started with the stocks first and then progressed to the barrels. " I still don't trust her word anymore than Sisennna's. We're kicking a nest, knowing full well whatever comes out will sting us,"

" At least there's no arachni,"

" True,"

" The Kett are just as bad,"

" She's a female salarian. If we find a male that will sexually reproduce with her, we could hold the clutch hostage," Quintus heard the hiss before the sharp edge of the asari blade cut across Flavius's palm. " You think that's a bad idea,"

Covering his hand before blue blood dripped onto the weapon tray, he bunched the cloth up in his hand and let the blood soak into the folds. " You're practically encouraging the Salarians to consider us a terrorist organization," If Paullus got a hold of that idea, then not only would they be dealing with humans but also salarians. Salarians were ghosts, ruthless when they attacked, and they used cutting edge technology. The humans frontline soldiers would be the shield and distraction that could easily keep their fledgling numbers in check while the salarian agents whittled down their offensive weapons.

Confident that most of the bleeding stopped, he dropped the rag onto the tray and accessed his omni-tool. The small dose of medi-gel reached his palm, sealing the skin quickly. The slow burn hinting that actual healing of the flesh took place distracted the alarmed scientist. " We are not a terrorist organization," He stared Quintus down. " We are not going to be labeled as a terrorist organization. You ever mention that to Paullus I will personally drop you dead where you stand regardless of the consequences,"

Returning to cleaning his disassembled weapons, Flavius didn't speak any further to Quintus. He refused to think that the eradication of the humans naturally lead to holding a clutch of eggs hostage. It didn't. That was non-linear thinking worthy of a salarian. Quintus remained at the armory cleaning weapons while Flavius checked the email terminals again.

His spirits lifted when he read the first email.

 **Concerning Your Shipment**

 **To: Flavius**

 **From: Kaetus**

 **Received the shipment of recovered armor and weapons. This support is invaluable to the outlaws. Without it, Sloane will bleed us dry by throwing us at all the Collective's effort to stabilize Kadara. An unstable Kadara is a threat to us all, but without Sloane, we wouldn't even have Kadara Port. I would say that if we have the resources for your next visit to the Badlands, stop in for a drink at our base.**

 **I don't trust Sloane to not turn you over to the Initiative. We need to be careful. We need to ensure that your mission to impose level ground for all the races is not hindered.**

 **Kaetus**

He quickly replied back.

 **Concerning Your Shipment**

 **To: Kaetus**

 **From: Flavius**

 **Considering that Sloane turned on the Nexus and took a key role in the uprising, why are you surprised that she would hold any loyalty? You are better off to treat her like a loaded rifle. I suggest that you consider leaving her service and taking the turians with you. We need to think about the future and start forming an education plan separate of the Initiative's. The hierarchy ranks should be reinstated.**

 **The infighting must stop. People like Paullus Milonius are only the beginning. We need forward thinkers more focused on the longevity of our race and less on the longevity of other races. Think on it.**

 **Flavius**


	3. Chapter 3

**Fuck Sloane**

 **To: Alcia, Velnaria, Hercus, Amuus, Maius, Tanion**

 **From: Kaetus**

 **It's time to defect. Report to Voeld, where you will start taking orders from Flavius Burrus. We're the vanguard for the re-establishment of the Turian Hierarchy. More will join you as soon as I can slip them out of Sloane's notice.**

 **Keep an eye out on any salarians that are willing to help.**

 **Kaetus**

 **Fuck Sloane**

 **To: Kaetus**

 **From: Amuus**

 **Not to look a gift giver in the hands, but can we trust Flavius Burrus to have the best interests of the turian race in mind? He's working with Paullus Milonius. Paullus Milonius is known for his ruthless tactics, even compared to the Hastatim.**

 **Amuus**

 **Fuck Sloane**

 **To : Amuus**

 **From: Kaetus**

 **You're working with Flavius Burrus, not Paullus Milionius. You answer to me when you don't answer to Burrus. I understand your concern. If It were Milonius demanding out help, I would have refused him. Burrus is a respected scientist renowned for his work in alien biology.**

 **Kaetus**

 **You Have a Plan**

 **To: Kaetus, Tanion**

 **From: Alcia**

 **What are you expecting from us? Aside from ensuring that Sloane is kept in the dark, there is a lot to be done that would be necessary before the ranking can be put in place. We can use Milky Way precedent to help us establish the ranks, but not all turians want to re-establish the ranking or even the hierarchy.**

 **Alcia**

 **You Have a Plan**

 **To: Kaetus, Alcia**

 **From: Tanion**

 **Alcia is a correct in that we would need to have turians willingly submit to the ranking and the hierarchy. It would all be voluntary at this point. Politically speaking, our survival is dependent on all the races working together to keep the Kett at bay and to build the mass relays that would allow us to travel between clusters with the faint hope we might one day be able to be an FTL jump away from the Milky Way again.**

 **This is a delicate subject that needs extra sensitivity. Heavy handed people are not desirable for this step of the journey.**

 **Tanion**

 **You Have a Plan**

 **To: Alcia, Tanion**

 **From: Kaetus**

 **I trust that you'll be able to work out the finer points amongst yourselves. A word of caution. As I do not yet trust Flavius Burrus completely, whatever you create should be distributed among the collaborators before it is introduced to Burrus. We are thinking of the future, regardless of our differences amongst ourselves. We are not prejudiced. We will accept help from other races if they are willing to help us rebuild the turian legacy.**

 **Kaetus**

 **Pillow Talk**

 **To: Alcia**

 **From: Tanion**

 **I know you. You have something in mind already, my lovely avian. I look forward to hearing your thoughts tonight after I come back from one of Sloane's pointless patrols. Do me a favor and try not to aggravate Vern again. I know you hate him, but he's useful and he's capable of killing you when your back is turned.**

 **Yours Always,**

 **Tanion**

 **Pillow Talk**

 **To: Tanion**

 **From: Alcia**

 **I will 'behave' myself, but I make no promises. You better come back alive. I'm not the marrying type, that doesn't mean that I don't want a long, long future with you. And only you.**

 **Yours Forever,**

 **Alcia**

 **On The Count of Three**

 **To: Hercus, Velnaria**

 **From: Amuus**

 **This doesn't feel right. If it looks like we're being set up, we probably are being set up. We should have a contingency plan just in case. What the boss is asking for is a noble cause, I just don't want it lost to a madman's grab for authority. I say we kill Milonius and spare ourselves the future trouble.**

 **On the off chance we can't kill, Milonius will need a shadow on him. Salarians are good at this. The Resistance may even aid us.**

 **Amuus**

 **On The Count of Three**

 **To: Amuus, Velnaria**

 **From: Hercus**

 **Our best bet is to go straight to Evfra De Tershaav. He's had years of decisions like this, and he doesn't want another extremist like Akksul in the cluster. We can't handle the Kett, the Roekaar, and Milonius's ego all in one pool of tension. Something's gotta give, and I'm doing giving. I refuse to sacrifice anymore respect than we've already given away.**

 **Hercus**

 **Dumbass**

 **To: Hercus**

 **From: Velnaria**

 **You're full of it. This is all the fuel that Evfra De Tershaav needs to condemn us further. You think that his position as a General in the Heleus Military made him more amiable toward our races? It's only a matter of time before he rallies the Angara against us. I haven't forgotten how the Roekaar are intent on wiping us out along with the Kett.**

 **Since we have to work together, I'll look past your stupidity. That doesn't mean I'm about to be supporting us asking for the Resistance's help in keeping an eye on Milonius.**

 **Velna**

 **Dumbass**

 **To: Velnaria**

 **From: Hercus**

 **Since we're cousins I'll overlook your rudeness. Did anyone ever tell you that you need laid?**

 **Hercus**

 **Dumbass**

 **To: Hercus**

 **From: Velnaria**

 **Skutt off.**

 **Velna**

 **What A Crack Team You Have**

 **To: Kaetus**

 **From: Maius**

 **I have to question your choice in recruits. Most of the people that you've listed are young. Alcia and Tanion work in tandem with each other and don't know how to operate without one another. While endearing, what happens if one of them dies? Velnaria and Hercus came together to this cluster and survived the Nexus. Both are inexperienced when it concerns politics, and they're both idealists and prone to panicking when the situation goes to shit. Amuus has authority issues that stretch beyond his general disregard for Sloane.**

 **You'll have to excuse my skepticism that this team can accomplish the tasks you set forth. They'll make a valiant effort, but any real success will not come from these inexperienced fools who can't even function on their own without someone to lead them. I trust that you have a master plan, and that the master plan will somehow compensate for these shortcomings. I only fear the costs that will be required to turn these fumbling recruits into a fine tuned unit.**

 **I hate to ask this, but maybe it is best if we were to raise this issue among the general populace – to get the idea flowing between individuals and let the momentum build. That way no one can specifically target us for revenge. How can they pin a moment on you or I when in reality it would have been several thousands of turians that collectively decided this was right for them? We go to the Nexus, spread around the word about a summit for turians interested in reforming the hierarchy and ranking, and then cultivate officials who could direct our people as best we can.**

 **As the elders in this group, we need to consider that these young people can be corrupted.**

 **Maius**

 **What A Crack Team You Have**

 **To: Maius**

 **From: Kaetus**

 **The corruption can spread both ways. I understand your concern and your plan to float the hierarchy and ranking to the general populace should be introduced at one point in time. It is not this point in time. I understand the thought behind it, and I agree.**

 **I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the youth's ability to accomplish tasks. I do believe that team work will be required for them to move past soft planning and into hard action. It shouldn't be hard to convince people to rebuild with the efforts currently taking place. Governmental buildings are in place on Meridian, Eos, and Voeld. Havarl and Aya are off limits to the Milky Way races right now, but given time that may change in generations.**

 **My reach is shortened by my loyalty to Sloane. You'll need to scout out recruits and analyze them on your own in the field. I trust your work. I trust your judgment. If you find anymore like Milonius, send them toward a Roekaar ambush so that they're more useful in eliminating our enemy and less set on trying to destroy our proud image.**

 **Kaetus**

 **What A Crack Team You Have**

 **To: Kaetus**

 **From: Maius**

 **For what it's worth, I find your dedication to the future admirable. You need to remove yourself from Sloane Kelly before she taints you. People already consider you an exile, a traitor without honor. I know that's not true, any turian that ever worked with you knows this. The rest of the cluster should know that too. Reyes Vidal isn't much better, and the peace he wants to bring to Kadara is nothing more than a dream. Dreams don't fill our empty bellies.**

 **I'll keep an eye on the young ones. You just watch your back.**

 **Maius**

 **Your Recruits**

 **To: Flavius**

 **From: Kaetus**

 **I have people heading toward Voeld. These are people who can take orders from you and you only. They are to see to the longevity of the turian race, not to dash the honor of it. I know you think that Milonius is leading the good fight, but his fight always ends up one way. He turns the galaxies against turians and he msut be extinguished.**

 **These people also answer to me and if anything happens to them, I will have retaliation. They are not your fodder. They are here to build. They will create the hierarchy and re-establish the turians as a respectable race instead of another race that the Roekaar are determined to exterminate. We will differentiate ourselves from the humans, salarians, krogans, asari, and angara. We will make a difference here, and we will not falter. We will not back down.**

 **If I hear even a hint that you are abusing them, I will retract their efforts and energy. Good luck.**

 **Kaetus**

 **Your Recruits**

 **To: Kaetus**

 **From: Flavius**

 **You do not need to fear me meddling in their efforts. Milonius has all of us up to our eyes in pro-turian missions. These people are virtually on their own unless they need my help. As far as I'm concerned, I have no control of your people and as far as Milonius is concerned, they aren't mine either. They're independent. They'll stay independent.**

 **If I hear wind that Milonius wants to use them, I'll send them back toward Kadara or Elaaden.**

 **Thank you for your support. The future thanks you.**

 **Flavius**


	4. Chapter 4

It was noon on Kadara, and Galerius started to sweat from tracking down the damn lead that would guide them toward the cell that had been causing havoc for the outlaws. Just because Reyes Vidal was allowed to take over Kadara Port peacefully didn't mean that he allowed her to exist peacefully in the badlands. The grudge match still waged on a minor scale that still kept Kadara on edge. Some stability came to the port and the badlands, providing a false blanket of security for those settlers that tried to call Kadara home. Unfortunately not even Ditaeon could sway more settlers to the planet without more commitment from the Initiative.

Everything hinged on a breaking point. The quantum entanglement communicators combined with the mass relays would make their lives infinitely easier. The Jardaan's willingness to help them find the resources for this sped up the process, making the wait that more unbearable. Everyone aware of the details often used that to justify the lack of funds being poured into other projects that would immediately help the people. Those ignorant of where the funds and energy were being poured into demanded accountability for the time, personnel, and credits.

Director Tann handled the majority of the complaints well. Moshae Sjefa and Nakmor Kesh kept the peace on the Nexus tolerably well. A quiet undercurrent cut the peace like a bullet sliced through air, creating a path for the hatred and misunderstandings that invariably occurred regardless of how skillful one's political manipulation could be. Ann Kandros invariably used her contacts, contacts that were harder to sniff and snuff out than Paullus Milonius expected, to keep tabs on everything before reporting key areas to Tiran Kandros and Evfra De Tershaav. Galerius had to admit that they were a very effective team, able to pull the strings enough without triggering war-mounting actions.

" Caron, I've been following this lead for the last two hours. I haven't even found a hint of….Khara k'jal," The name sounded angara. Why would an Angara join the collective? Scratch that. Why would they join the outlaws? Or willing turn over their Moshae to the Kett? Vehn Terev's trial made the headlines for months, and after his eventual execution by Evfra De Tershaav, everything seemed like the first few months in the cluster without all the threat of extinction. The Angara's wounds opened more and then healed up in due time, faster for those that already come to terms with their beloved Moshae's past.

" Khara K'jal is close to the Charlatan, and he knows a lot about the Heleus Military," Caron Selis's voice burst over the omni-tool speaker. " We should take him alive-"

" Sloane wants him dead, and we need Sloane," Galerius argued. " Otherwise why the fuck are we here? Do I have to skkutting remind you that Sloane wants all their heads?" He shouldered his assault rifle. He found the M-96 Mattock on one of the unfortunate outlaws in the badlands who decided anyone was fair game. It served his purpose well for the moment until he needed to deconstruct it to make other weapons more fitted toward his interests.

Silence passed as the turian huffed his way through the hilly terrain, ending up breathless as he reached the top of a small hill that overlooked a pretty little valley with a small pond. The sharp chirp of Caron's voice caused the irritation to flick across his face in a manner befitting a primarch at being told how to govern by someone beneath him. " Keep moving North. We have South and East,"

" What about West?" He countered, starting to think this was just to divide them all up to make them easier to kill. He hoped it wasn't.

" We already have the other three of the cell. K'jal wasn't with them." Caewan interrupted over the group channel. " If you're that inept to search your area-"

He suppressed the urge to omni-tool grenade them on sight the next time he saw them. " I am one man in a mountainous planet searching for one man who is probably spooked off by now and run back to Vidal. Do you honestly think we'll be finding him tonight or even tomorrow? By ourselves, without resources? We are the Pathfinder,"

" Pathfinder Raeka would know what to do," Caewan shot back quickly.

" You're even more worthless than I originally believed," Caron added on the insults. " When we get back-"

Galerius took a deep breath, reminding himself why he was employing his time with these people. These things. They didn't even deserve to be called people with what they had planned. " When we get back you can tell Milonius how we wasted months trying to find one man instead of enacting his master plan, like he wanted, without the guarantee that Sloane would even help us when we need it," He snapped back at the omni-tool.

It wasn't the omni-tool's fault that his associates were idiots. He didn't have the credits to buy or make another omni-tool.

" Three out of four is a strong showing of our capabilities," He argued over the group channel.

" Three out of four is not four," Caewan argued back. " If you're incapable of completing the task-"

" Of for fuck's sake, I don't even know why you were recruited. You're a glorified sniper," His head snapped up as an enoch ambled into the clearing. He dropped to his knees, then his chest very slowly, happy that he chose to camouflage his armor against the general Kadara environment. The mattock didn't seem like such a useful weapon at this point. One finger silenced the omni-tool altogether.

It's mouth dipped into the water to drink, and then it sniffed around the pond. He thanked his luck that he was down wind from the beast. Five minutes passed as it laid down and started to make itself comfortable. Ten minutes passed before Galerius inched back down the hill, half way down rising to his full height and dashing off into the distance before he deemed his omni-tool safe to use again. He could kill the beast, but what would that prove? Why would it be necessary? Didn't want to waste bullets to harm it.

He started off an alternate path North and used his omni-tool to scan the area for hints. He must've scanned at least forty didn't rock formations and walking paths before his omni-tool went off again. He turned the volume back on. " …got a lot of balls coming out here to hunt me down knowing I'm the ally of the Heleus Military,"

The look on his face turned comical as he sensed the sight of the scope on him. Sniper. He laughed. " You have a lot of balls leveling a sniper rifle on me and not pulling the trigger first," Which crest of rocky outcroppings was this angara hiding in? " Since we're on weapon terms with each other, you should know the rest of your cell has been captured and likely killed by now. Sloane's orders,"

He had nowhere to really hide, especially if the sniper was up high and he was down low. The area he currently walked was free of anything to hide behind, smoothed by travelers that moved around the difficult planet. There was more to Kadara than the port and the badlands, but most of the settlers had yet to establish themselves beyond those chosen boundaries with the exception of the Angara who long called the planet home. He currently was on the out most border north. It made sense to find the man this far out.

He threw up his hands, encouraging the sniper.

" What does Sloane want?"

" What doesn't Sloane want?" He countered back, wind whistling through kicking up dust. " If you're going to shoot me, then do it already,"

" Tell Sloane that if she wants to take on the Collective, she's taking on the Heleus Military," The connection went silent but more than a full twenty people stood among the rocky outcroppings armed and ready to gun him down where he stood.

Galerius raised his arms, bowed, and then turned on his heel. He opened comms to Caron and Caewan. " I'm coming back to the base. Khera K'jal is not able to be captured at this point in time,"

" 3 out of 4 does not gain us Sloane's support," Caron cut across the comms.

If he didn't value living, he would have shot himself where he stood and ended the argument for them all. " I'm facing 20 plus men, all armed. All I have is an omni-tool, an assault rifle, and a handgun. What do you expect me to do?" He almost yelled into the omni-tool.

The hike back took him toward the base. He was fairly certain he'd been followed and that was fine with him. A shuttle abruptly landed no more than 30 feet from him. Caron Selis waited for him as the shuttle hovered. He ran toward the shuttle, grabbing hold of the salarian's hand. The surprisingly strong salarian pulled him in the door swooshed shut. He removed his helmet and felt the sweat drip down the side of his face and onto his armor.

Caewan Raelorn scowled at him from his seat. He held his sniper rifle in an upright position, leaning back in the seat, his large eyes resting on the turian. Even though the salarians were the second race on the council, and the humans the fourth, the salarian blinking upward was just creepy. He found their approach to war to be ingenious at times, but they were nothing against the angara who were accustomed to guerrilla tactics for their entire lives. " I should shoot you where you stand,"

" Go ahead,"

Caron put himself between the pair. " We're not leaving Kadara yet. Sloane will have her decision for us soon, and then we'll report to Paullus what we have,"

" Paullus won't like what Sloane's doing," Caewan warned in a low voice. Glorified sniper, he muttered under his breath in contempt. " We're better off-"

" I'm in charge here, not you," Caron snapped at his favored ally. Galerius dropped down into a seat and put his hands on his head. He breathed deeply and hoped that the spirits were looking after him. He'd need it.


	5. Chapter 5

The Roekaar ramped up their attacks in the badlands, recruiting from the ranks of the frightened angara who fear the exposure of their cluster to other races. The Jardaan's help in the matter felt like a betrayal to the Roekaar, who considered the Heleus Cluster their home and only their home. The Roekaar didn't faze Reyes Vidal. He dealt with the angara extremists almost on a weekly basis with his logistical planning for the Heleus Military. The newest threat that had yet to name itself held his attention.

Abductions were common, and they could be blamed on any number of threats. The kett still terrorized the Heleus Cluster, though not as rooted as they once were. The Roekaar liked to execute people publicly as a warning toward the Milky Way races. That adversely affected any hope they might have of the angara people generally believing them an acceptable ally and provided the Jardaan with plenty of research on extremists born of xenophobia. Occasionally the Outlaws or Collective took each other prisoner.

Reyes Vidal still needed to know what happened to his missing agents. He needed to escape the port after being holed up in it for months. The déjà vu of entering the Badlands granted him a rush of relief as he shed his title as leader of the Heleus Military logistical management and became Reyes Vidal, third rate smuggler. He probably should stop calling himself a third rate smuggler if he wanted people to take him seriously. He should call himself a first rate leader, if he was going to be honest with himself. The Heleus Military trusted him, and he delivered. He impressed people, earned their trust. That did things to him that he never expected.

It made him want to do more. To be more. To be the Reyes that his mother raised and loved, not the Reyes that he turned into.

Sorry, Mother, He prayer-like apologized to his mother 600 years away. He took up smuggling to help her. She'd been a first generation biotic and her exposure to eezo had started to adversely affect her health. He traveled to Heleus Cluster like a coward to avoid watching her degrade in her later days. He promised her that he would be a good man. What he didn't tell her was that he already immersed himself in smuggling.

He didn't believe that he was capable of being the Reyes that his mother raised and loved. The best he could do now was account for his people, especially when they were some of his best people and the most trusted by the Angara. Khara K'jal joined him after he started managing logistics for the military. As a former Resistance member, he wanted to do more than spy and kill kett. He wanted to properly ensure the kett were unable to operate within the Heleus cluster. Reyes had been so impressed with him that he made Khara the leader of the first group that would work significantly with the Angara, adding the two Salarians and turian to his cell after careful consideration.

Vidal wanted answers, immediately answers. He'd been spoiled in that manner by working with the Heleus Military.

The land rover available to him eased him through Varren's scalp without any trouble. He stopped by Sulfur Spring to speak with resident miners of Ditaeon. The people, already familiar with him, welcomed him into their homes and answered his many questions about Khara K'jal, two members of the Caewan clan, and his closest turian adviser, Flora Cantilus. Most of the people hadn't even heard of his people, and the mayor of the outpost offered to send a few people with him to help look for his missing people.

" You'd think Christmas would change his name by now," One of the miners joked. " With a name like that, he's asking for trouble," Howell Craik remarked to the other minor, Mansen Wells. Both men worked on various mining planets in the Milky Way and as miners in the Heleus Cluster, they were discovering more inhospitable worlds that had mining bases on them. Only the brave and foolish became miners, and the miner's lifespan expectancy was lower than that of pirates. They lived for the thrill of the adventure, which also lead them to the Heleus Cluster.

" No more than Foster Addison. Foster must've been a foster child if she wears that name with pride,"

" We're all foster children now," Reyes heard himself say with well timed humor. Both men laughed at him, because in the face of darkness, laughter saved their sanity.

Accepting the help of two armed guards, Reyes then ventured north-east toward Haarfel. Haarfel's small Daar offered nothing new to the growing, empty narrative. The Angara there didn't trust them enough to offer up any helpful non-information, and he spent the rest of the day crossing every known group of settlers and second wave colonists that were tasked with building cities, pushing technology beyond the current limitations, and figuring out where to find the resources necessary to cement their existence on the habitable planets. When he returned to Kadara Port, he found several angara in his private room at Tartarus. They looked like Resistance by their ragtag armor and uncommon collection of weaponry.

He placed his handgun on the table next to the customary bottle of Kadara wine. He'd have to buy more homebrews soon, as his collection started to disappear whenever his on-again-off-again love interest, Lindy Allers, visited. He heard that they had a new brew that tasted something reminiscent of an asari wine and wanted to surprise Lindy. " I always welcome company," He greeted with his usual non-committed charm.

" K'jal is traveling back to Voeld. The others are missing or dead. Sloane's work," One answered as if this were the average talk of water acidity and how to make a better filter.

His heart sank. His face remained a handsome mask that managed to convey a modicum of concern without the anger.

" K'jal will turn his reports over to the Resistance, and the Resistance will share it with the Heleus Military,"

Again, he couldn't believe his ears. Why were they reporting this to him? The Resistance wasn't exactly wholly supportive of the Collective any more than it was supportive of the Initative. They all may be one military mind, but they were not of the same heart.

" We have a small force in Kurinth's Valley. The Resistance supports the Heleus Military. The Outlaws are not our allies. The Collective is," His skepticism must've showed because the entire group rose to their feet almost in perfect unison. He wished half of his recruits were as in tune with each other as they were each other.

Reyes Vidal at least thanked his unforeseen luck that he had allies willing and capable of providing information when he could not dig up information from the many settlements on the immediate grounds around Kadara Port. " To who do I owe my best regards?" He had been keeping tabs on the turian that he learned was called Galerius. His contacts on the Nexus were soon to supply him with a last name, but they had to navigate a wall of security that erupted out of nowhere seemingly overnight.

" No one," The last man answered as they filed out of the room. After they left, Reyes settled down and leaned back in the booth. The massive obstacles at his feet humbled his grand plans for action.

If the support and claims of Galerius wasn't suspicious enough, he'd been stonewalled elsewhere too. Elaaden, once a haven for the slippery and conniving, now turned into a place that supported law and order. Even Morda seemed to be more friendly, if that was possible. A friendly Morda promised some devious plan in action, a plan that he knew nothing about and needed to investigate immediately. With Sloane Kelly acting strange, even Kadara wasn't 'normal'. It seemed the only planet not in some transformation of societal shift was Eos.

Eos currently supported a growing revolution among its populace. It went from being an outpost to one of the first Heleus Cluster sprawling populations dynamically growing. The races that lived at Podromos started building their own set of laws that uniquely permitted them to survive without sacrificing integrity while allowing for growth. Forgiveness had become their mantra. He admired the liberal minded approach to tackling problems, with the conservatives, clinging to the Initiative's vague outline for how to handle criminals, decided to join the Advent. The Advent's alliance with the Initiative rested on a gentleman's code of honor enforced by a verbal and written agreement.

Even with the slight differences on Eos, there wasn't any bureaucratic tape holding most people from the truth. The Pathfinders often made it their mission to be as honest as necessary with the people, a much appreciated behavior choice by everyone but the bureaucrats and occasionally an overly concerned citizen. Elaaden turned into a Bureacratic haven and Kadara still served as a war zone for the Outlaws and Collective. Havarl housed the Roekaar, a thorn in everyone's side but the Angara. Aya, as the home world, had been completely denied to Reyes. He didn't know much about Voeld personally due to his dislike of any wintery type weather. His people on Voeld had more trouble traveling the planet due to its weather than they did any other planet.

He let out a low whistle. The challenge was before him. He needed to weasel his way in somehow like an adhi. Like an adhi he had to use his cunning and good instincts to dig deeper into the Heleus Cluster and root himself like the Kett. He was Reyes Vidal, the man his mother raised – the infallible leader of the Collective.

Now if only he could embrace that belief.


	6. Chapter 6

" I don't like the this, Tanion," The woman remarked as she scanned the otherwise temperate desert. Ordered to Eos by Burrus, the couple needed to wait for orders concerning the placement of camoflaged tripods in the most unlikely spots. Oddly enough for a small group everyone and everything was compartmentalized. The scientists treated the muscle with disdain and then gladly sent the muscle out to do the dirty field work. The muscle treated the scientists with skepticism, as if the science did not explain the public goal. Everyone treated the leader with caution, a universal sign that none of them trusted the man.

Working with Sloane proved necessary. Abandoning Sloane proved easier than expected. Her unexpected behavior uprooted more than just outlaws who wanted their own pedestal in the vacuum of power. The settlers on Kadara needed security, the sense of it and actual security, so that the people would grow and raise families. Society needed to establish itself as a marker of the people who inhabited the area, making the future less bleak for people who were already exposed to the worst of the worst and expected the bottom to keep dropping out from under them. Even the anti-human crowd wanted a temporary alliance to secure their own future.

" I understand," Tanion answered her.

Seating himself on a boulder, he smiled in her direction fondly remembering the day they first met. She'd been recruited into the Initiative by his partner, a salarian biochemist who didn't survive the Kett. Alcia's specialty was languages and behavior science with a touch of therapeutic application. Basically she was supposed to make cooperate. Sloane definitely benefitted from it and Kaetus often had her work with the more stubborn recruits.

The silence eclipsed them until a particularly loud beep from Alcia's omni-tool started them both.

 **Do NOT set the Tripods. Galerius Sisenna**

Tanion arched a bony brow at this message, now leaning over Alcia as she read her email from the holographic screen extended from the omni-tool.

 **Why? Alcia**

 **Those Tripods are a part of a weapon for mass destruction. Chemical warfare. Milonius wants to set it off in the atmosphere. Galerius Sisenna**

Now Tanion leaned over and motioned for her to reply immediately. " Maybe we can sabotage the tripods somehow?" She suggested to her lover.

Tanion nodded toward her right arm. " Tell Galerius that we'll set up the tripods and have the Nexus and Advent authorities warned," He went back to his rock and made himself comfortable again. As Alcia typed the message, she had so many questions that demanded answers.

Why kill the humans? Why risk making a chemical poison that could spread to the other races and harm them? More than that, these humans had necessary fields of k,nowledge that was keeping everyone in the future and not setting them back in the past where FTL travel was impossible and medicine was leaps and bounds poorer. Kaetus had warned them to be extra careful and Amuus and Maius especially insisted that they report anything odd or out of place so that they did not fall victim to someone else's poor plotting. This most certainly fell under poor plotting!

Not all humans were bad people. She met plenty of people on the Nexus that she could have easily been friends with if the turian hatred for humans ( and vice versa ) did not prevail. Even Tanion had more alien friends and companions than he did turian. Sloane Kelly, for all of her odd behavior, actually fought for the people. She was a woman OF the people. Reyes Vidal was a man of the people with a different method of manipulation and control. For all the havoc wreaked on Kadara, it came from well meaning hearts that cared about something more than themselves - though in Sloane's case it could be debated she desired the power more than the people's goodwill.

A rock bounced off her dusty armor. She glanced over her shoulder at Tanion holding up another small rock in his taloned fingers. " You are such a child,"

" Alci, we are in the middle of the desert alone with orders to help set up tripods for a chemical weapon of mass destruction that we were mislead about," He restated for her in case the email wasn't clear enough. " And since when have you known me to not have some juvenile sense of enjoyment out of something this serious?"

" Shut it," She held up a hand in his direction.

He answered with the toss of another rock.

They waited another two hours before a small transport vehicle packed with common items scavenged from the Kett machinery abandoned along the roads and encampments rambled toward their cozy plateau. Flavius Burrus hopped out of the driver seat and strutted toward them. " Ten tripods as ordered,"

Alcia stayed sprawled out on the ground, gazing up at the sky through her visor. Tanion approached the man. " You ready to do this or what?"

" I was ready the moment you were given orders to come out here. Ready to make the turian people great again? These tripods for comm beacons are important to improving the communication speed," Flavius Burrus lied easily, and since Tanion already learned of the lie, nodded along like he believed.

The men removed several large tripods from the back of the transport with the help of Caewan Raelorn, the salarian sniper that evaded enough kett and Roekaar to earn their respect. Alcia watched them work, appreciating the view of the handsome fringe of her lover and the sensual roundness of his carapace. The dreamy look on her face gave away her thoughts long before the salarian remarked on her uselessness. She shouldered the shotgun that she nicknamed Palaven and cocked a brow in challenge. " I wouldn't be getting too cocky there. You need us, remember?" She flashed her pointed fingers back and forth between herself and him.

The combined muscles of the four manuevered the tripods into the nooks and crannies so that they wouldnt dislodge or be easily visible, often slipping and sliding and coming perilously close to the edge of the cliff. Flavius Burrus made light conversation about Alcia and Tanion's plan for the Rite of Bonding while Caewan mentioned that salarians had no such traditions. The ensueing argument helped take away the sense of danger as everything was bolted into place with a transportable punching drill. If the noise didn't draw the enemy, nothing else would.

Stepping back from their work, everyone was proud as the no longer gleaming metal now reflected back at them as a dull tannish red color. Tanion put his arm around Alcia and suggested they start walking toward the nearest settlement. There were a few exiles that were living at Promise that both of them owed a visit to.

Flavius offered them a ride, Tanion refusing it off hand saying that walking wasn't that difficult. Caewan shook his head. " They have a transport," The accusation harbored more suspicion than interest.

Alcia turned in Tanion's arms and nodded. " We have a few friends at Promise that we want to reunite with. They promised a transport only a half hour from here. I'm sure you'll be fine," The pair started down the steep hill carefully, taking their time and laughing as each commented on how Eos could be a prettier planet if the radiation hadn't destroyed so much of it's plant life.

Meridia restored much of the planet's plant life and the expanse of desert still felt too big and wide for the likes of someone accustomed to a more lush environment. Jungles were Alcia's preferred environment and when the day came that she could visit Havarl she'd be the first to offer herself as a transport escort.

Caewan stood next to Burrus, already suspecting that the location of these tripods was not safe. " We need an alternate plan,"

" When did you become our leader?" Burrus demanded as they trekked back to the transport and covered it up again. Mission accomplished they started back to the space port in Eos.


End file.
